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Informed Consent

Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey that we are conducting in partnership with the Office of Human Research at The George Washington University. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) truly values the information you have provided. Please know your responses will help us evaluate short-term outcomes and contribute to improving the quality of services we provide to contacts like yourself.

First, we will ask you questions on the phone about the conversation you had with an advocate on the day you receive services. Then, in two weeks’ time, we will ask you follow-up questions about anything that may have changed since you last contacted The Hotline or loveisrespect either over the phone with a research staff member or via chat on our secured websites.

Your safety is very important to us, and we will make every effort to ensure your privacy and keep your information confidential to the extent permitted by law:

We will not collect your name or other personally identifying information. Your answers will only be associated with a unique number and the code words we created when you completed the phone interview.

If you choose to complete a web-based follow-up survey online, we will give you instructions on how to make sure that your computer and web browser do not show that you accessed the survey.

To further protect your privacy, we have obtained a Certificate of Confidentiality from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers can use this certificate to legally refuse to disclose information that may identify you in any federal, state, or local civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or other proceedings. For example, if there is a court subpoena, the research team will use the Certificate of Confidentiality to resist any demands for information that would identify you. The Certificate of Confidentiality will not be used to prevent disclosure to state or local authorities of child abuse and neglect, or harm to self or others. However, please understand that a Certificate of Confidentiality does not prevent you from voluntarily sharing information about yourself in connection with your involvement in this research.

We have created a dedicated text line for this research project. You may opt out of any contact with The Hotline and loveisrespect at any time by texting STOP to (512) 203-9775.

Your participation should take approximately eight and half minutes on the phone, and approximately 6 minutes to complete the online survey. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw your consent or stop participating at any time. If you decide you do not want to participate, you are still eligible to receive the same services from The Hotline, loveisrespect or other service agencies.

If you choose to complete the follow-up survey online, you will also have the option to receive a reminder text message in 12 days. This text message will not include a phone number, URL or any mention of The Hotline, loveisrespect or domestic violence. The message itself will simply say, “Have a nice day,” and will be sent from an unidentifiable number.

Please know you will not personally benefit from partaking in this research project. If, at any time and for any reason, you would prefer not to answer any questions, please, feel free to skip those questions. You will not be penalized for deciding to stop participating at any time.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is OMB No.: 0970-0468 and it expires on 07/31/2019.

If you have questions about your rights as a participant in this research or would like a printed copy of this information, you can contact the Office of Human Research at The George Washington University at (202) 994-2715.

By answering the survey questions, you are consenting to participate in this study.

En Español

This project was supported by Grant Number 90EV0426 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any or its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitations, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).

Exempted from federal income tax under the provisions of Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Safety Alert: Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet usage might be monitored, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224. Users of web browser Microsoft Edge will be redirected to Google when clicking the “X” or “Escape” button.